It's been a long week. The family is in a bit of turmoil, but these things happen and the strong adapt and go on. We've weathered worse, but I have found that as I grow older, it sometimes (heck, pretty much always) takes longer to get the boat upright and stable. C'st la vie, eh?
Ah well... I'm also at odds with the new systems we bought. I'm having a devil of a time hooking up the new flat-screen TV to work with the HD Cable box and the Home Theater System. The way it's all designed, it appears that the TV works with each system just fine. I just can't run the cable through the HTS and then to the TV.
Here's the clincher. They all have HDMI plugs, which are great. One cable from one device to the other device. All the data gets transferred, no messy cable bundles, etc. EXCEPT THAT, you can't daisy-chain from one to another. Why is that? Why is it so hard to develop simple connections so that you can connect several devices together? I can run an HDMI cable from the cable box to the TV. OR, I could run the HDMI cable from the Hone Theater System to the TV. Both work great, wonderful sound, picture, etc. HOWEVER, there is no possible way to simply run the cable signal into the cable box, then the Hone Theater System, thense to the TV. Why is that?
All I can figure is that the electronic companies must have invested heavily in the wire companies. I mean, why have the HDMI plugs and cables, if, in order to use these systems (which, BTW, are designed to work with each other) I have to run RBG cable sets from one to another, plus other assorted wires?
Tim, your problem is that you think it should be simple. You're wrong. It is hard because the 'content owners' (and my contempt for them grows every day) cannot wrap their heads around the idea that people want things simple and easy and will pay for them. To them, we are all low-life scum who will steal anything we can and take all the food off their tables. So they have put a lot of roadblocks in there for you, called DRM, to make it so you need a spaghetti bowl of wires.
Basically, you are not allowed to run the set top box (STB) through the home theater to the display, because you might copy stuff. You must run each to the display separately. What I would do if I were you is get a fairly good quality coax splitter, split the cable line, then go one to your 'home theater system' (There's a tuner of some sort in there?) and one to the cable box, then HDMI out of both to the television.
This has gotten my goat lately as well, as we just got a nice new HDTV. This TV is awesome, and has an optical audio out to my receiver. But due to craptastic DRM issues, the TV is NOT ALLOWED to pass 5.1 audio from HDMI sources out to the optical out. It can send 5.1 audio decoded by the internal tuner to the optical out, but not from HDMI. So all 5.1 audio from other sources (Set top box, DVD, game consoles, etc) to the receiver has to go from the device itself to the receiver.
Apart from the fact that my receiver only has 3 optical and one coax digital in, for a total of four sources (one of which is the TV itself), the TV, like nearly EVERY HDTV sold, has a not insignificant delay in picture processing. This is not the display's 'fault', it's just something that happens with that much data through complex electronics. This delay, which can range from a few milliseconds (old analog TV's were typically at about 10-20 ms, I think) up to 130 ms in some TVs, has spawned a problem known as lip sync error. It's especially bad because you hear what someone's saying before they say it, because your receiver does not have that delay.
If the sound could be put through the TV, it would be delayed appropriately. But it has to go separately, thereby introducing the problem. What are people looking at to fix this? Separate circuitry in devices, or separate devices themselves, to introduce delay in the audio path. A tremendous kludge because of DRM.
Yeah... I know. See, I'm a musician. It's a fairly simple thing with cables. All are 1/4" pluga and jacks, except for the mics, which are XLR connectors. No sweat.
The keyboards plug into the amps. The amps plug into the speakers. Power up and set the volume(s). Done.
Now, for the HDTV, I have to run 2 sets of 3-cable bundles, PLUS some other assorted ones. I also need to run 5 sets of speaker wires for the Home Theater System. I can fix that part with a wireless transmitter, but that can wait a bit first. P!sses me off to no end. I mean, good heavens, I operated some very complex electronic equipment onboard P-3 Orions, and even THEY used simple connectors.
I figure I'll wander over to Radio Shack and see what I can get vis-a-vis cable splitters, etc. They usually have all sorts of the deveil's spawn of cable adapter sets.
I'm busily writing my script for an episode of Stargate: Atlantis. I'm 24 pages into it and I think it's gonna be long but that'll just give me an opportunity to work my editing skillz!
Hopefully the producers of the show will respond to my letter of inquiry. If not, well, I'm gonna send it into a script writing contest anyway.
Tim, I'm guessing you only have a single HDMI input to your television. Ah well. I know you can get HDMI switches if you want to run both of your sources into the HDMI switch into your single TV input.
I've been a musician as well, and know what you mean about the way it works. We did it a little differently, having no money for good backline amps or mics for mic'ing them. We used DI boxes, and then ran everything through our mains (vocals and instruments). It worked pretty well. Although getting levels set is far from 'simple'. :)
Oh, and as a postscript to the HDMI and DRM crap: My friend's PS3 just stopped working through HDMI to his television. The reason? Apparently the TV is not sending the HDCP (Hi-bandwidth Digital Copy Protection) signal correctly anymore. So this requires replacement of his TV if he wants to play the console. It's definite that that is the problem, as his original console works fine on other TV's and replacement consoles do not work on his TV. So just think, just because some digital key gets a little messed up on your TV, it turns into junk, even though mechanically it works just fine.
A very odd feeling: Cal, my normally pathetic alma mater is likely to be ranked 3rd in the country after today's victory over Oregon and with five teams in the Top Ten losing. The last time this happened was during the Korean War...
9.30.2007 4:16am
Commenting on Dean's World is a privilege, not a right. Dean is your host, you are his guest, and you should behave in that fashion. Dean is not your babysitter, nor is he your punching bag. Please remember this. In general, you are free to disagree with anyone on any subject you wish, but abusive behavior will not be tolerated.
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.
It's been a long week. The family is in a bit of turmoil, but these things happen and the strong adapt and go on. We've weathered worse, but I have found that as I grow older, it sometimes (heck, pretty much always) takes longer to get the boat upright and stable. C'st la vie, eh?
Ah well... I'm also at odds with the new systems we bought. I'm having a devil of a time hooking up the new flat-screen TV to work with the HD Cable box and the Home Theater System. The way it's all designed, it appears that the TV works with each system just fine. I just can't run the cable through the HTS and then to the TV.
Here's the clincher. They all have HDMI plugs, which are great. One cable from one device to the other device. All the data gets transferred, no messy cable bundles, etc. EXCEPT THAT, you can't daisy-chain from one to another. Why is that? Why is it so hard to develop simple connections so that you can connect several devices together? I can run an HDMI cable from the cable box to the TV. OR, I could run the HDMI cable from the Hone Theater System to the TV. Both work great, wonderful sound, picture, etc. HOWEVER, there is no possible way to simply run the cable signal into the cable box, then the Hone Theater System, thense to the TV. Why is that?
All I can figure is that the electronic companies must have invested heavily in the wire companies. I mean, why have the HDMI plugs and cables, if, in order to use these systems (which, BTW, are designed to work with each other) I have to run RBG cable sets from one to another, plus other assorted wires?
Ah well... I need a drink. sigh..
Such a fascinating landscape, I hope I can get back there sometime.
Basically, you are not allowed to run the set top box (STB) through the home theater to the display, because you might copy stuff. You must run each to the display separately. What I would do if I were you is get a fairly good quality coax splitter, split the cable line, then go one to your 'home theater system' (There's a tuner of some sort in there?) and one to the cable box, then HDMI out of both to the television.
This has gotten my goat lately as well, as we just got a nice new HDTV. This TV is awesome, and has an optical audio out to my receiver. But due to craptastic DRM issues, the TV is NOT ALLOWED to pass 5.1 audio from HDMI sources out to the optical out. It can send 5.1 audio decoded by the internal tuner to the optical out, but not from HDMI. So all 5.1 audio from other sources (Set top box, DVD, game consoles, etc) to the receiver has to go from the device itself to the receiver.
Apart from the fact that my receiver only has 3 optical and one coax digital in, for a total of four sources (one of which is the TV itself), the TV, like nearly EVERY HDTV sold, has a not insignificant delay in picture processing. This is not the display's 'fault', it's just something that happens with that much data through complex electronics. This delay, which can range from a few milliseconds (old analog TV's were typically at about 10-20 ms, I think) up to 130 ms in some TVs, has spawned a problem known as lip sync error. It's especially bad because you hear what someone's saying before they say it, because your receiver does not have that delay.
If the sound could be put through the TV, it would be delayed appropriately. But it has to go separately, thereby introducing the problem. What are people looking at to fix this? Separate circuitry in devices, or separate devices themselves, to introduce delay in the audio path. A tremendous kludge because of DRM.
Yeah... I know. See, I'm a musician. It's a fairly simple thing with cables. All are 1/4" pluga and jacks, except for the mics, which are XLR connectors. No sweat.
The keyboards plug into the amps. The amps plug into the speakers. Power up and set the volume(s). Done.
Now, for the HDTV, I have to run 2 sets of 3-cable bundles, PLUS some other assorted ones. I also need to run 5 sets of speaker wires for the Home Theater System. I can fix that part with a wireless transmitter, but that can wait a bit first. P!sses me off to no end. I mean, good heavens, I operated some very complex electronic equipment onboard P-3 Orions, and even THEY used simple connectors.
I figure I'll wander over to Radio Shack and see what I can get vis-a-vis cable splitters, etc. They usually have all sorts of the deveil's spawn of cable adapter sets.
respects,
Hopefully the producers of the show will respond to my letter of inquiry. If not, well, I'm gonna send it into a script writing contest anyway.
I'm proud to say that a good friend of mine is now embedded in Iraq. This is SO cool!!
Interview with Laura Blumenfeld
Medicalisation - don’t take it lying down.
Klockwerks
World Map, 1920
Jan
I've been a musician as well, and know what you mean about the way it works. We did it a little differently, having no money for good backline amps or mics for mic'ing them. We used DI boxes, and then ran everything through our mains (vocals and instruments). It worked pretty well. Although getting levels set is far from 'simple'. :)
Oh, and as a postscript to the HDMI and DRM crap: My friend's PS3 just stopped working through HDMI to his television. The reason? Apparently the TV is not sending the HDCP (Hi-bandwidth Digital Copy Protection) signal correctly anymore. So this requires replacement of his TV if he wants to play the console. It's definite that that is the problem, as his original console works fine on other TV's and replacement consoles do not work on his TV. So just think, just because some digital key gets a little messed up on your TV, it turns into junk, even though mechanically it works just fine.
Have I mentioned I hate DRM?
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.